Bar feed loader for metalworking machines



E. s. MARlo'rTE BAR FEED LOADER FOR METAL-WORKING MACHINES Filed April 2e, 194e Dec. 4, 19.51

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIUHLN INVENToR: Eugee Maf/fe, BY

Dec. 4, 1951 E. s. MARloTTE 2,577,203

l BAR FEED LOADER FOR METAL-WORKING MACHINES Filed April 26, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

.5. fie, Bygee ,Mafia @www Dec. 4, 1951 E. s. MARloTTE 2,577,203

BAR FEED LOADER FOR METAL-WORKING MACHINES Filed April 26, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 4, 1951 E. s. MARloTTE 2,577,203

BAR FEED LOADER FOR METAL-WORKING MACHINES Fil'ed April 26, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENToR: lzezze fwfioiffe, Y

Dec. 4, 1951 E. s. MARloTTE 2,577,203

BAR FEED LOADER FoR METAL-WORKING MACHINES Filed April ze, 194e -5 sheets-sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.' Eugene aft'ae,

Patent'ed Dec. 4, 1951 NT korrlcE EAR FEED LOADER FOR METAL-` WORKING MACHINES Eugene S. Mariotte, Syracuse, N. Y., assigner to Lipe-Rollway Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a v

corporation of New York Application April 26, 1946, Serial No. 665,279

1 claim. (c1. 29-60) This invention relates to bar stock feeds for automatic metal working or screw machines, of the typefof automatic bar feeds, in which the bars are fed in a cylinder or tube by means of a push plunger, through and beyond the rotating spindle of the metalworking machine to a stop, where tools of the machine operate on the projecting end portion of the bar to form an article thereof which is automatically cut off when finished, and has for its object a feed cylinder in which the bars are fed sidewise through a lengthwise slot which is at least the length of the bar, which slot is normally closed by a closure, which is a segment of the wall of the cylinder.

The invention also has for its object the feeding of the bars one by one from a stack or a magazine into the cylinder through the side thereof in front of the push plunger therein. It further has for its object the controlling and timing of power mechanism for actuating the pushv plunger in a forward direction to feed the bar and in the reverse or retrograde direction to withdraw the plunger to starting position after the bar has been fed to the limit of its movement and has become too short for a finished article, and the feeding of a new bar into the cylinder in frontV of the retracted plunger, which controlling and timing is in turn controlled by the position of the push plunger, when it reaches the limit of its movement in a forward or feeding direction, and also when it reaches the limit of its movement in a retrograde or withdrawing direction. y v

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a bar stock feed embodying this invention.

' Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on the plane of line 2--2, Figure 1.l

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of the control and timing mechanism.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the plane of line 4 4, Figure 3,V with the control box partly in elevation and partly broken away.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic and schematic view of the control system.

- vThis bar stock feed includes, generally, a feed cylinder or tube for receiving the bar and formed with alengthwise segment in one side thereof having anopening and closing movement, the

segment being of at least the length of one of the bars to be fed, a push plunger or piston movable in the cylinder irione direction to feed the bar to the metal working machine and inthe reverse direction to startingfposition, when the bar is used upto a remnant too short to form an article or 'to bridge the space Vbetween the end of the spindle of the metal working machine and the stop, power means for actuating the plunger or piston in reverse direction, and mechanism controlled by theplunger when at the limit of its feeding movement for controlling the power mechanism to withdraw the plunger to starting position and controlled by the plunger, when in starting position, toppen the segment of the cylinder, the feeding of the new bar in the cylinder in front ofthe plunger,ther closing of the segment and the operation of the power means to actuate the plunger to feed the new bar.

j I designates the cylinder. or tube, which is suitably supported by frame members or pedestals 2 with the front end at 3 thereof either extending into the spindle of the machine tool or terminating but a short distance from the outer end of the spindle, so that the bar may bridge the gap whenbeing fed, asis well understood. Reference may, however, be made to my Patents Nos. 2,327,916, issued August 24, 1943, and 2,300,457, issued November 3, 1942.

4 designates the segment in one side of the tube, which has an opening and closing movement.r f y As here shown,y the cylinder is mounted in the angle'of brackets 5 spaced apart at intervals along a rock yshaft 6 supported by the pedestals 2, as by brackets l. Thersegment 'is carried by yokes 8 pivoted at 9 to the ends of the rock'a'rms I0 and having hubs Il'mounted on the shaftV 6 to rock therewith. The yokes 8 are adjusted in a predetermined radial position relative to vthe pivots 9 and'held in said position in any suitable manner, as by set screws I2. The ends of Vthe yokes at I3 form part of the cut-off and escapement mechanism forA the bars from the magazine, as will be presently described.

The magazine merely consistsof a track I4 inclined slightly out of the vertical and supported' by the brackets l, and also guide strips l5 opposed to the track at intervals along the same and supported by brackets I6 rising from one of the angular walls ofthe brackets 5.y The bars', designated B, are normally stacked in the space between theitrack I4 and guide strips I5 and are controlled'in their feeding out of the magazine by a cut-o .slide 'I1 controlled by the rocking ofthe shaft 6, and hence bythe openaars/,20e

ing and closing of the segment or closure 4 or the yokes 8. When the segment or closure 4 is closed, the lowermost bar in the magazine rests on the surfaces I3 and the cut-off slide I1 is retracted from its position shown in Figure 2 against the action of a spring I8 by a shift arm or fork vIll projecting from the hub II. When the segment 4 opens, the bar resting on the escapement surfaces I3 therein drops into the cylinder I. During this movement, the spring I8 presses the slide I1 into cut-olf position,.asseen in Figure 2. As the segment closes by =therocking of the shaft 6 through the rock arm I,.0 and yoke 8, the surface I3 thereof "inov'es "in'to ipo'sition to receive the next bar vB, as the cut-dif.

slide I1 retracts from its position shown in Figure 2 against the action of the spring Ilunder the action of the fork I9. There are a plurality of yokes 8 and rock arms I0 on hubs II`spaced apart alongthe shaft 6. Also, there is one cutol slide 'similarly "spaced for 'each-yoke i8.

The Arock shaft 6 is actuated by power 'means including a motor; andas the'power 'used iscompressed air, the Vmotor is hereshown as a 'doubleA acting cylinder and piston motor. is a cylinder and 2| thepiston ro'd Whichis'connected at 22 to arock arm 23 on the hub II. 'There' are preferably two of these ,cylinder and piston motors, as seenin Figure `1, carried 'by the pedestals2 yfor rocking the shaft I6. The hubs I-I at the ends of the shaft 6 of the mechanism for opening and closing the segment 4 only yare provided with rock arms 23, to which piston rods 4 gaging position by torsion springs 93, 94, 95 and 96, respectively, coiled around the piston rods and each anchored at one end to one of the piston rods and the other anchored to the hub 86 of its companion pawl. The cylinders 3|, 32, 33 and 34 are mounted to oscillate about pivots 91, 98, 99 and |00 during the movement of the piston, in order'to conform 'to 4themovements .lof the pawl carrying arms 88, 89, 90 and 9I.

The operation of the timingy and indexing mechanismzisvas follows, referring to Figure 5. VAsj th'epstock is exhausted, the plunger 25 in the feedtube orcylinder l is in the dotted line position, "Figure, 5, and vuncovers the port 51. The

-,1ow,pressurelairthn feeds through the pipe line I581:0 the motor`32 to index the control valve 21 -to rst=position where a vacuum line is connected 2l are connected, 'as thereareibut two motors.

designates thepush plunger movablejinthe A cylinder I. The .power for actuating this in the forward feeding direction is air, and `for withdrawing it to starting position is vacuum. Hence, Ythe control mechanism 'includes valve means'for controlling the air'v and the vacuum. ,Oneof the features of lthis invention is that the control valve means isoperatedby power mechanism including motors, which in 'tu'rn arel controlled by /the'posi'tion occupied by the piston or plunger 25, when at thelimit of litsfeeding movement, as shown in broken lines'in Figure 5, and at the end of its withdrawing movement, "as shown in full Alines in l-Figure 5.Y The control mechanism is locate'din a'boX .26. 'It :is shown as including a valveV member `21, -as `a' conical valve head rotatable in a suitable casing'28 supported by the wall,29.of the box 26. Itis operated or indexedrto its-various positions by appluf rality of air motors 3l, 32, 33 ,and34 ofthe cylinder and pistontype. `The cylindershave, .respectively, -ports `36, Y.31, 38 and v39, which are combined inlet and exhaustports. The pistons 4I, 42, 43 and 44 areconnected byV rods 45,246, 41 and 48 tooperatepawls 49, 5.0, 5I and'52 coacting with the ratchet wheel 53 on ashaft-54 mounted in a suitable .bearing V55 in the wall .2,9 of the control boxand coupled to the valve member 22. The valve;m,emb,er;21 ispressedjnthe conical bore of .the conical casing 28 by-aspring 56. '.-IThe pistons 4I,4'2, V43 ,and 144 in the cylinders 3I, 32,33 and 34 are single acting and are returned after air Vis vreleased in the cylinders :by springs 82,.,83, `84 fand;85. -Each `of the pawls 4.9, 50, A5I andi52 is :here shown as provided with a discoidal1hubg86 mountedfon 1a pivot .81 on the end of onerof fourarms 8,8, 89,90 and`9l, which are pivoted to rock about a pivot 92comr'nonA to al1 of themfthepiston rods .45, .46, y'41 land V48, each-being secured to one ofthe arms 88, 89,190 and '9 I vEach of 'the 4pawls is biasedtoward entothe Vrear or left end of the feed tube I by way of pipe 85, valve passage 15, and line 11. As the plunger 2,5 is withdrawn by the vacuum to the full'lineposition-Figure -5, -ites'hifts the: relay valve to'aolrnit the high-pressureto thee-in- 'dexing' cylinder-3l `toishift the control or E'index-- ing valve Z1-'tothe V'second position wherehigh o pressurefis-admitte'd to the lower vend of vthecylinders 20 below the pistons therein -by--way of high pressure line 59,-valvepassage 63,1an'd ylines 64, y65. The air above the pistons-finthe-'cylinders `20at-this time exhausts through'-lir1e-66 and valve passage "61. This operation of the pistons in ,the Acylinders L2i] opensJ-the closure 4 #of the feed tube I to admita new stock bar vrfrom themagazine. Azs v"the "closure 4 *is thus Iopened, the relay valve is 'actuated-toadmit high pressure to the indexing motor 33 bywayof-line-59, relay valve 60 and lineII. This indexes thecontrol valve 21 'to `the third position where ft-he high fpressure 'enters the upper ends `of 'the cylinders 20 kby way of high l.pressureline-59,valve passage 63, and 'line 1IV tOplOSe-theclosure `4 of the feed tube 'I. The air exhaustsfromthe lower ends of the `cylinders-20throughglines V12,""'13, and passage 61 of thegcontrolvalve '2-1. As .the closure of 'the feed 'tube TI thus closes, 'the vrelay valve 60 isactivated and "shifted Ito admit the highpressure tothe cylinder34 'of 'the indexing motor by way iofi'lin'es 159, `relay valve 6 0 and line V14. This operationlgindexes,thecontrol valve 21 to fourthposition where'low pressure visadmitted to feed ,tube lin the [rear `of 'th'efe'ed plunger 25 bygway of .line`16, control valvepassageV 15 and line 11. As the'feed plunger is.,again moved forward andA the Ystock .bar agfai exhausted, Vthe `cycle ,repeats The reversing valvea60rcomprisesa casing .and a shiftable 4melillaerIIEAltherein, whichca'sing is connected vto either(l .theline-BI `to .thefmotor' 33, or the A.line 1.4 to' them'ctorll V4by vtheopening and closing of the closure 4 of the feed V.tube I. The valve,69 constitutes a relay device common to the highgpressure branches 59,68, and .lo-W pressure branch 11. The valve 6,0 `constitutes a reversing relay ldevice v.in :the high pressure branch 59, 6I, 14. The port 51 is a relayqdevice in the branch 58.

The controlmemberorf-valve 2-1 isl controlled or ,indexed .inits'operationfby-the position of zthe push plunger.2:5:at the end of its "feeding :movement and at 1.the start;of1=its feeding movement. The opening :and fclosing of=the;segment closure 4 of the magazine is controlledvalso by the plunger '25,...when1-it vis fat or :approaches .its vretracted position, andzthe fmotor for, motors.20, which open 1 and f close :.thezsegment .1.4, fare .double actingand vthe closure 4:is.aheld.;air:tightclosed all during the feeding operation by air pressure in the motors. The reversing valve member BIA for the motors 20 is operated by the opening and closing movement of the segment 4, as the high pressure air goes directly to these motors or does 5 not pass through the indexing valve.

What I claim is:

A bar stock feed for metal working machines including a feed tube for the bar, the tube being of such length as to enclose a bar, the tube comprising a body section having a lengthwise slot long enough to receive the bar to be machined, through which slot the bars are placed sidewise into the body section. and a closure section, one of said sections being shiftable relatively to the other to open and close the slot, a reversible power motor to operate the shiftable section, va feed plunger reciprocally movable in the tube, and a control mechanism for said feed plunger and reversible power motor, said control mechanism including means for selectively supplying power to said feed plunger to advance and retract the same and means for selectively supplying power to said reversible motor to operi and close said shiftabl section, power operated indexible means for selectively actuating said power supplying means, and a plurality vof relay means actuated by said feed plunger in its extreme positions and by the shiftable section in its extreme position for selectively supplying power to said indexible means.

EUGENE S. MARIOTTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,834,338 Dale Dec. 1, 1931 1,982,964 Rupple Dec. 4, 1934 1,988,547 Engelbertz Jan. 22, 1935 2,108,274 Tautz et al Feb. 15, 1938 2,300,457 Mariotte Nov. 3, 1942 2,327,916 Mariotte Aug. 24, 1943 2,359,939 Reynolds Oct. l0, 1944 

